Internal combustion engines are in common use throughout the world and are well known. Such engines typically involve one or more pistons in which a fuel mixture, such as gasoline and air, is drawn into a cylinder, compressed and ignited to drive a piston head. The power from the fuel ignition is transferred to a rotating drive shaft. As the drive shaft turns, the piston head drives the exhaust gas out of the cylinder, and the cycle is repeated.
The transfer of power from an oscillatory (one-dimensional) motion of the piston head to a rotational (two dimensional) motion of the drive shaft in a typical engine causes a certain amount of power loss. This power loss is inherent in the design of the conventional piston-based engine. In addition, the introduction of a spark into the piston must be precisely timed to maximize the power generated by the engine. The timing mechanisms of conventional gasoline engines are subject to undesirable changes over time, giving rise to loss of power and "knocking" or "spark ping" which is not easily corrected by the user.
Pumps and compressors for pumping liquids and gases are also well known. Various pump designs are known, and the pump design typically is tailored to the particular application for which the pump is intended. A single, multipurpose pump design which may practically be used for pumping a variety of fluids has not heretofore been available.